AST: Suspect tried to run over State Trooper during high speed chase on Glenn Hwy

(KTUU)
Published: Dec. 8, 2017 at 7:32 PM AKST
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A high-speed pursuit on the Glenn Highway has reached speeds over 100 miles-per-hour and ended with a State Trooper's vehicle damaged and a suspect facing an attempted murder charge.

Troopers say the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Russell Blakeman of Palmer, unsuccessfully attempted to run over a State Trooper who was in the median attempting to deploy spike strips.

Alaska State Troopers from Palmer patrol say the pursuit began when they tried to conduct a traffic stop around 3:00 p.m. on a 2008 Hyundai Tiburon. They had observed the vehicle driving recklessly near mile five of the Old Glenn Highway in Palmer.

"The vehicle failed to yield and accelerated while driving in both lanes of travel," say Troopers.

Around 15 minutes later, State Troopers with the Crime Suppression Unit located the vehicle traveling north on the Glenn Highway near milepost 31. They tried to stop the vehicle but the suspect continued at speeds of 105 miles-per-hour, say Troopers.

Near milepost 34, the driver of the vehicle allegedly attempted to run over a State Trooper who was able to avoid being hit. The vehicle then crashed into a parked State Trooper K9 unit vehicle.

"This collision pushed the K9 unit vehicle into the southbound lane of the Glenn Highway, where it was then struck by a 2005 Chevrolet Venture traveling southbound," say Troopers.

The K9 "Skippy" is said to have suffered minor injuries.

Blakeman faces multiple charges including failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer in the first-degree, attempted murder in the first degree, five counts of third-degree assault and a count of harming a police dog in the second-degree.

The northbound lanes of the Glenn Highway were closed around milepost 34 but have since re-opened.